November 11 2006

Mid-Continent Instruments’ 2-inch Mini Gyro Selected for Glass Panel Retrofits

WICHITA, Kan. —Mid-Continent Instruments’ 4200 series electric attitude indicator will be featured in several glass panel retrofit projects.  The 2-inch “Mini Gyro” will serve as backup to the primary avionics suite of the highly anticipated Garmin and Executive Beechcraft C-90 King Air G-1000 retrofit and Avidynes’ Alliant King Air 200 program.

            “These are exciting opportunities for us,” stated Todd Winter, president of Mid-Continent Instruments.  “The Beechcraft King Air with the Garmin or Avidyne cockpit panel is a technologically advanced aircraft with state-of-the-art systems.  Interest is growing in our 4200 series electric attitude indicator because it is a great fit in glass cockpit designs.”

Earlier this year, the Mini Gyro earned contracts with Cessna's Citation Mustang and Columbia’s Garmin G1000 equipped 350 and 400 series aircraft.

The Mini Gyro is an electric, self-contained instrument that provides the pilot a horizon reference during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).  Capable of being used as a primary or standby artificial horizon in fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, the 2-inch attitude gyro’s size and average lifespan of 2,500 hours make it an ideal backup unit.

The compact size doesn’t take up as much panel space as the larger indicators, and it won’t take up much of your budget as it costs about half the price of similar 2-inch products. Installation is simple and reliability is improved compared to gyros manufactured several years ago.

The 4200 Electric Attitude Indicator is FAA TSO-C4c and RTCA/DO-160D certified and available for aftermarket installations as well.  The operator has a choice of a traditional or delta wing symbolic airplane.  Power input is 10 – 32 VDC, which is compatible with 14 and 28V aircraft. 

Mid-Continent Instruments manufactures aircraft instruments for the general aviation industry.  Services at the Wichita, Kansas facility also include developing and manufacturing new avionics products.  Mid-Continent Instruments West in Van Nuys, California provides new instrument sales and is the top-rated instrument overhaul shop on the west coast.  Together the locations employ more than 150 people and offer the largest general aviation instrument overhaul/exchange program in the world.  Specialties include gyro, altimeter, HSI and autopilot system overhauls.  Mid-Continent instruments are found in all new Cessna airplanes and in Raytheon’s Beech line of Bonanzas, Barons, King Airs and 1900 Airliners.  Instruments are sold to other manufacturers such as GARMIN International, Honeywell, Cirrus, Lancair, Piper Aircraft Inc., Diamond and Robinson Helicopter Co.